Page 35 of Pining for the Prince
“I am not accustomed to repeating myself, but I will say it again—my personal life is not your concern.”
Metra scooted closer. “Hyax, please.”
The chair opposite was pulled out, and only then did Hyax realise Gwil had returned. Gwil did not look happy, but then in theory he’d just interrupted his boyfriend sitting close to his ex, but he doubted his expression would have conveyed it was a welcome conversation.
“If it isn’t the man himself,” Metra sneered.
“Nice to see you too, Metra. How’s the stone you’ve crawled out from under this time of year?” Hyax had to admit that Gwil could do a good line in being an overprotective, jealous jackass.
“I’m sure neither myself nor Hyax appreciates your referring to the fae realm in that way.”
Hyax sighed. “Metra was just leaving.”
“Actually, I was here to ask Hyax if the insane rumour I had heard was true. Looks like it is. I was wondering if he’d lost his mind or if I should call the police to investigate illegal spellcraft.”
“Or you’re having a difficult time accepting that Hyax’s taste in men has improved immensely since dating you.”
“I doubt that.”
Gwil smiled nastily. “I don’t see who Hyax chooses to spend his time with is any of your business.”
Hyax scooted along the bench, putting more distance between him and Metra. “That was pretty much what I said.”
Gwil leant over the table. “You had your chance and you blew it years ago. So I suggest you go the fuck away and bother someone else.”
“Yes, well, there were extenuating circumstances then, which aren’t there any longer. So I am doing what any decent fae would do when they heard a friend has taken up with a member of the blood-sucking undead.”
“What? Stick his nose in where it’s not wanted?” Gwil bared his fangs. “Piss off.”
Hyax didn’t see Gwil bear his fangs that often—he’d been the cause of it on at least one previous occasion, but it was far more alluring than it had any right to be. Maybe it was because it unleashed a darker side that Gwil managed to keep under wraps most of the time.
Disappointedly, it didn’t seem to have much of an effect on Metra who turned back to Hyax. “This isexactlywhat I’m talking about. You can’t possibly be in love with this monster.”
“As Gwil has already articulated, it’s time for you to go.”
Metra stood. “I’m going, but this isn’t the end. We were good together, Hyax. The differences between our families have been resolved.”
“My parents aren’t aware of our previous liaison, they may change their mind that you’d be suitable to be on the list once they hear my version of why we ended things.”
Gwil stood and stepped closer to Metra. “If you were so convinced that you were meant to be Hyax’s one true love, why did it take our betrothal for you to act?”
“I don’t answer to vampires.” Metra shoved Gwil in the chest and stormed away.
Hyax puffed out his cheeks and Gwil sat next to him. “Where did you get to? Leaving me alone when we’re on a date is not the sort of signal we want to send out.”
“My sister’s here.”
First Metra and now Gwil’s sister, so much for this place being exclusive. “What did she want?”
“We had a chat. Penelope says colleagues of hers are also involved in resolving the recent misplacement of one of your family’s possessions.”
That was the first Hyax had heard of the vampires being involved and it could be a fucking political disaster. He didn’t think his mother would have been as calm and collected as she was acting if she knew. “You have got to be fucking jokingme? My mother didn’t say anything. Did Penelope say which of her colleagues knew? Because if this is being discussed at the Vampire Council then it might already be known by some of the other tribes.”
“Not the Council directly.” Gwil glanced around and leant closer, as aware as Hyax was that this wasn’t the place for too open a conversation. “She’s involved via the work she does for the executive search branch—which might sound like a headhunter for a FTSE500 company but it’s an elite group of security officers who mop up the mess without asking questions.”
“That doesn’t sound good.”
“No. But then none of this situation does, and the more people who know the harder it will be to keep this from getting out to the wider populace. On top of it, we now have your ex-boyfriend in the mix.”
